Muharram procession: Curbs in Bihar town after one killed in firing

While police blamed the incident on a fight among Muslim groups over leading the Tazia procession, some Muslims linked the incident to public anger after the arrest of a Hindu Putra Sangathan leader for an objectionable social media post regarding Muharram procession routes.

The Vaishali district administration has imposed prohibitory orders in some areas of Hajipur town to prevent any law and order situation after one person was shot dead and two were injured in firing during a Muharram procession in the town Friday.

While police blamed the incident on a fight among Muslim groups over leading the Tazia procession, some Muslims linked the incident to public anger after the arrest of a Hindu Putra Sangathan leader for an objectionable social media post regarding Muharram procession routes.

Shahnawaz Qureshi (38), a plumber, was shot dead while Qaisar and Anjar are receiving treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital, police said. While the assailants are yet to be arrested, police have arrested four people for pelting stones at police and damaging public property.

The incident took place around 3 am when several Tazia processions from different routes converged at M Chowk in Hajipur, which has a population of nearly 2 lakh, about 25,000 of which are Muslims. As each Tazia group wanted to lead from M Chowk, there was a clash between two groups, leading to firing.

After Qureshi succumbed at a hospital, a group of people damaged public property, vehicles parked near the hospital, and later some shops and houses, some of them belonging to another community. As crowd gathered, police resorted to lathi-charge after some people threw stones at the police. Prohibitory orders were later imposed in the town.

Town police station in-charge Om Prakash said, “Prima facie investigation suggests that there had been some tension between two groups of Muslims.”

Rajiv Vishwakarma, a Hindu Putra Sangathan leader, had asked why Ram Navami procession was not allowed to pass through Muslim areas while Tazia rallies were allowed through Hindu localities.